Last Year On Earth
by MovieBuffStarlet
Summary: Angel receives some bad news.


_A/N: This is quite melodramatic…and embarrassing. I think it sucks. Oh, well. I tried…_

_I don't know where all these dramatic ideas are suddenly coming from…(spaz!)_

Angel sat slumped on the side of the bed, the paper clutched tightly in a shaky hand. The number didn't make any sense to him.

His T Cell level was at 220 and dropping.

Angel had always hated doctors…and now he knew why. Before this, he could convince himself that he was just feeling a little run down…that it was just a passing, harmless cold. But now, however, there was no denying it.

He was dying.

_Not now…not now…_

Angel's mind was spinning. He did not understand why he had to die now. He met Collins just under a year ago…and had been the happiest he'd ever been in his 20 years of existence. This is the first time he'd actually been in love…and he was certain that this was the first time that anyone had ever loved him back.

The numbness and the shock began to wear off as he was thinking about this. It gave away to a helpless anger. Angel read the death sentence over and over again until tears blurred his vision. His whole body was shaking.

His face contorted in frustration and in sadness, Angel crumpled the paper into a ball.

Just then, Angel heard footsteps come down the hall towards the bedroom. He heard a light knocking on the door, making him jump. A familiar, muffled voice was on the other side.

"Angelcake? You in there??"

Angel held his breath, his heart pounding. He didn't even hear Collins come home…

_Please don't come in here…please…_

Before Angel could hide the test result, the door creaked open. Angel clutched the paper tighter, his posture stiff. He didn't dare turn around.

"Hey, Ang!" Collins greeted him cheerfully. Angel could sense him approaching the bed.

"Hey, honey. You're home a little early…" Angel forced himself to answer him as calmly as he could. He still wouldn't look at him, though. He didn't have full control over himself yet.

"Well, sure! Ain't you glad to see me??" Collins teased. Angel could feel the mattress shift as Collins eased down onto his side with a groan.

"Of course I am." Angel answered him, his voice growing husky with emotion.

"Work was a _bitch_. I think I'm gonna take a nap."

"Yeah. That'd be best, honey."

"Hey…you sound kind of funny. You still got that cold??" Collins propped himself up on an elbow, staring at the back of his lover's head.

The concern in Collins' voice made it that much harder for Angel to hold it together.

"Yeah. I've still got it, Thomas…"

"Are you okay, Angelcake?"

"I'm fine, baby. Thank you for asking." Angel replied, silently cursing the shakiness of his voice.

"How'd the check up go?"

Angel froze here, the tears once again threatening to spill over. He shook his head, wanting to say something…but no words would come out.

"…Oh, _no_…." Collins whispered.

Hearing his lover's grave tone caused Angel to completely lose it. Shoulders hunched, Angel reached up with his free hand, angrily brushing the tears away. He bit his bottom lip, willing himself to cry silently.

"Where is it, Angel? Let me see…"

"_Why_?" Angel choked out, his voice cracking.

"Because maybe you read it wrong or something…" There was a hint of panic, as well as anger, mixed in the professor's tone.

Angel sat there, unmoving…still shaking his head.

"Angel, look at me…" Collins pleaded, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. He flinched back when Angel suddenly stood up from the bed and whirled around to face him for the first time that evening.

Angel's tear stained face was pinched in anger. He threw the wadded up paper on the bed.

"It says I'm _dying_, Thomas! What more do you want??"

Collins blinked, stunned. He stared at the crumpled ball of paper, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He didn't need to see it…he didn't _want_ to. Quickly, he slid off of the bed and walked over to his lover, wrapping his arms around him in a firm hug. Angel did not resist. In fact, he wrapped his arms around Collins' neck, crying into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry…I'm _sorry_…." Angel gasped out between sobs. "I just don't…."

"_Shhhh_. It's okay, Ang. Everything's gonna be okay…" Collins soothed, rubbing Angel's back. He blinked back his own tears.

Actually, he knew that things would _not_ be alright…but what else could he say?

"_Woah_…" Collins let out a gasp of surprise as Angel's legs gave out from under him. Collins compensated for the sudden shift in weight, trying to hold Angel up as he leaned into him.

"I don't want to die….I don't want to leave you…." Angel wailed, clinging onto Collins for dear life.

Collins didn't know what else to say, so he continued to hold Angel as he cried. He knew that he was literally all that Angel had and,in turn, Angel was all that Collins cared about.

He vowed that he was going to stick by Angel's side as long as possible.

THE END

_A/N: So…um…yeah. Reviews, please. :)_


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